SE2051217A1

SE2051217A1 - An extrusion and/or pultrusion device and method for forming material with elastic properties

Info

Publication number: SE2051217A1
Application number: SE2051217A
Authority: SE
Inventors: J Mark Kragh
Original assignee: Reliefed Ab
Priority date: 2020-10-20
Filing date: 2020-10-20
Publication date: 2021-10-12
Also published as: KR20230090350A; EP4232256A1; CN116390843A; JP2023550258A; US20230382036A1; WO2022084107A1; SE543969C2

Abstract

A method and an extrusion- or pultrusion device (1) for forming a profile product (2) made from a viscoelastic material and/or plastically deformable material with elastic property and/or viscoplastic material with elastic property in a production direction (Y), said device comprising:-a rotating die (3), extending in a radial (R) direction and a width direction (X), having two opposite first and second side walls (5, 6) and an outer circumferential surface (4) extending in the width direction (X) there between, wherein the rotating die (3) comprises a first side portion (23) in connection to the first side wall (5) and a second side portion (25) in connection to the second side wall (6) and a mid-portion (22) extending between the first and second side portions (23, 25), and-a profile definition zone (7) having a longitudinal direction (Y) coinciding with the production direction (Y), a height direction (Z) and a width direction (X) being perpendicular to the height direction (Z), comprising a through channel (8) comprising a first channel section (9) followed by a second channel section (10) downstream the first channel section (9) with reference to the production direction,wherein the rotating die (3) is rotatable about an axis extending across the production direction (Y) and arranged to allow the outer circumferential surface (4) to, while the rotating die (3) rotates, exert a pressure onto a surface of the material when fed through the profile definition zone (7).

Description

AN EXTRUSION AND/OR PULTRUSION DEVICE AND METHOD TECHNICAL FIELD The invention relates to an extrusion and/or pultrusion device for forming a profileproduct made from a viscoelastic material and/ or plastically deformable material withelastic property and/ or viscoplastic material with elastic property in a productiondirection, said device comprising: -a rotating die, extending in a radial direction and a width direction, having twoopposite first and second side walls and an outer circumferential surface extending inthe width direction there between, wherein the rotating die comprises a first side portionin connection to the first side wall and a second side portion in connection to the secondside wall and a mid-portion extending between the first and second side portions, and -a profile definition zone having a longitudinal direction coinciding with the productiondirection, a height direction and a width direction being perpendicular to the heightdirection, comprising a through channel comprising a first channel section followed bya second channel section downstream the first channel section with reference to theproduction direction, wherein the rotating die is rotatable about an axis extending acrossthe production direction and arranged to allow the outer circumferential surface to,while the rotating die rotates, exert a pressure onto a surface of the material when fedthrough the proﬁle definition zone -the first channel section is circumferentially delimited by one or more walls and wherein - the second channel section is circumferentially delimited by -the circumferential surface of the rotating die and -a channel portion comprising -a counter-bearing opposite the rotating die and -opposing first and second channel portion side walls between the rotating die and thecounter-bearing.

The invention also relates to a method for producing a profile product by use of such adevice.

BACKGROUND ART In the field of extrusion and/or pultrusion devices it is known using a rotating dieimmediately downstream a more traditional extrusion and/or pultrusion device usingfixed or static walls. This type of extrusion with a rotating die is hereinafter referred toas 3D-extrusion and relates to that the rotating die operates in a pressurized zone inconnection to the more traditional extrusion and/ or pultrusion portion of the device,which differs 3D-ext1usion from calendaring. The combination of the static walls in thefirst channel section and a rotating die in the second channel section gives the benefit ofproducing a profile product at a very high speed with maintained high quality of shapeand imprint. It is thus an effective and relatively cheap production method that can beused for most materials that can be formed by use of extrusion, i.e. everything from e. g.plastic to aluminium.

In PCT/SE2020/050451 it is discussed the advantage of optimising the first channelsection and the second channel section with regard to minimum side leakage.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION With reference to background art, there is however a need for an improved optimizationalong the profile deﬁnition zone, i.e. of the ﬁrst channel section and the second channelsection, when extruding materials that undergo plastic deformation and has an elasticproperty. The load rate of the material in the first channel is controlled with reference tothe load rate in the second channel by design of the respective first channel and secondchannel.

The claimed device comprises both static and moving part and operates at highproduction rate and high pressure, and sometimes under high temperature and pressure.The settings for the device is dependent on material and type of profile to be produced.Experiments performed during a long time span has revealed that materials made from aviscoelastic material and/ or plastically deforrnable material with elastic property and/orviscoplastic material with elastic property have special features/properties that have tobe taken into account in order to produce a profile product with high quality in theclaimed device and at the same time design the device in a way to make it withstand thehigh forces during operation. The following definitions are introduced in order to give areader information on suitable such materials and settings of the device.

Plastically deformable materials Some materials, for example metals, deform permanently when subj ected to asufﬁciently high force. Permanent deformation is generally referred to as plasticdeformation and materials which exhibit this type of deformation may therefore bedenominated "plastically deformable materials". The deformation behaviour in a plasticdeformable material depends on the magnitude of the force that the material is subject toand is often described in so called "stress-Strain curves". Generally, plasticallydeformable material exhibit the following deformation behaviour.

When the material is subjected to a small force it deforms elastically because the stressin the material increases the distance between the atoms in the material but does notaffect their mutual arrangement. Therefore, the material reverts linearly to its originaldimension when the force is removed. Thus, in this force region the material exhibits alinearly elastic deformation behaviour.

If a larger force is applied to the material, the stress in the material increases. When thestress passes the so-called elastic limit, the atom planes in the material begin to slideover one another. This effect is not reversed if the force is removed and a permanentdeformation of the material is therefore achieved. Thus, in this force region the materialexhibits a plastic deformation behaviour.

If the force is increased further, the stress will exceed the rupture limit of the materialand the material will eventually break.

Viscoplastic materials Viscoplasticity is a theory that describes materials which behave as solids below acritical values of stress but flows like a viscous liquid at greater values of stress. Formetals and alloys, viscoplasticity is the macroscopic behavior caused by a mechanismlinked to the movement of dislocations in grains, with superposed effects of inter-crystalline gliding. The mechanism usually becomes dominant at temperatures greaterthan approximately one third of the absolute melting temperature. Thus, these materialsbecome viscoplastic materials above this critical temperature.

A main difference of viscoplastic materials in comparison to non-viscoplastic materialis that the viscoplastic material exhibit a rate-dependent deformation behavior in forceregion of plastic deformation. That is, the viscoplastic-material does not only deformperrnanently after the application of the force but continue to undergo a creep ﬂow as afunction of time under the inﬂuence of the applied force. This creep ﬂow deforms thematerial further.

Viscoelastic materials Viscous materials, like glycerine, oil or Water, resist shear flow and strain linearly withtime when a stress is applied. In pure viscous ﬂuids, deformation is non-recoverable dueto rearrangement of molecules. Elastic materials strain when stretched and immediatelyreturn to their original state once the stress is removed.

A material is said to be viscoelastic if the material has an elastic (recoverable) part aswell as a viscous (nonrecoverable) part. When a load is applied onto a viscoelasticmaterial, the elastic deformation is instantaneous while deformation of the viscous partoccurs over time.

Since viscoelastic materials have elements of both elastic (recoverable) characterviscous (nonrecoverable) character it is said to exhibit time-dependent strain, i.e. itdeforms over time by so called creep. Viscoelastic materials may also be strain rate-dependent, i.e. they deform differently depending on how fast the load is applied.

Examples of viscoelastic materials are polymers, their viscoelastic behaviour may beexplained by entanglement and disentanglement processes on a molecular level ofpolymer chains.

With reference to the above definitions, the present invention relates to a device thatextrudes and/or pultrudes a material that undergoes a recoverable, i.e. elastic, transitionsspringing back from a deformed state to a less deformed state. A non-exhaustive list ofexamples of such materials are; rubber, elastomers, composites and polymers, etc.

The invention relates to an extrusion and/or pultrusion device for forming a profileproduct made from a viscoelastic material and/ or plastically deformable material withelastic property and/ or viscoplastic material with elastic property in a productiondirection, said device comprising: -a rotating die, extending in a radial direction and a width direction, having twoopposite ﬁrst and second side walls and an outer circumferential surface extending inthe width direction there between, wherein the rotating die comprises a ﬁrst side portionin connection to the ﬁrst side wall and a second side portion in connection to the secondside wall and a mid-portion extending between the ﬁrst and second side portions, and -a proﬁle definition zone having a longitudinal direction coinciding with the productiondirection, a height direction and a width direction being perpendicular to the heightdirection, comprising a through channel comprising a ﬁrst channel section followed bya second channel section downstream the ﬁrst channel section with reference to theproduction direction, wherein the rotating die is rotatable about an axis extending across the productiondirection and arranged to allow the outer circumferential surface to, while the rotatingdie rotates, exert a pressure onto a surface of the material when fed through the profiledefinition zone, wherein; -the ﬁrst channel section is circumferentially delimited by one or more wallsand wherein -the second channel section is circumferentially delimited by -the circumferential surface of the rotating die and -a channel portion comprising -a counter-bearing opposite the rotating die and -opposing ﬁrst and second channel portion side walls between the rotatingdie and the counter-bearing The ﬁrst channel section is configured to deform the material into a master profilehaving a maximum height at a predetermined feeding rate dependent on material andminimum cross-sectional area with a ﬁrst maximum height in the first channel sectionwhen exiting the first channel section, wherein the first channel section comprises a wake element having a predeterminedheight dependent on the elastic property of the material, wherein the wake element is positioned in at least the height direction and wherein the second channel section is configured to further deform the material intoa final profile having a minimum height by the rotating die being configured to applyincreasing pressure on the master profile against the counter-bearing when the masterproﬁle exits the first channel section, wherein the rotating die is configured at a minimum distance between the rotating dieand the counter-bearing dependent on a maximum allowable pressure applied by therotating die at the position of that minimum distance, wherein the maximum allowablepressure corresponds to the difference in height of the master proﬁle and the finalproﬁle and dependent on pattern in the circumferential surface of the rotating die anddependent on the elastic property of the material and thus difference between the heightof the final profile and the profile product due to the elasticity of the material.

One advantage here is that maximum allowable pressure is controlled in both the first-and second channel which gives the possibility to design the extrusion and/or pultrusion device dependent on material to be processed and process speed. Controlling themaximum allowable pressure dependent on material to be processed allows for aproduction rate with high quality output and reduces risk for e.g. rupture due to a toohigh stress on the material and further reduces risk for damaging the device.

A further advantage is that the wake element can be designed dependent on materialelasticity giving the correct height of the master profile when entering the secondchannel section. Here, elasticity refers to the material swelling after having been pressedinto shape in the first channel section. The wake element creates a wave form in thematerial when having passed the wake element.

According to one example, the wake element protrudes in a direction from the side wallinto the first channel section. According to one example, the wake element protrudes inthe height direction from the side wall into the first channel section According to one example, the wake element is arranged where the first channel sectiontransitions into the second channel section, wherein the wake element comprises anupper edge with a lowest part, in the height direction, wherein the upper edge delimitsan upper portion, in the height direction, of the wake element in the first channel sectionwhere the first channel section transitions into the second channel section.

One advantage here is that the wake element controls the master profile cross-sectionarea in close vicinity to the rotating die. Different materials have different elasticproperties and thus partly recovers shape, i.e. swells, after the wake element at differentrates.

According to one example, the wake element is arranged at a predeterrnined distanceupstream in the production direction from where the first channel section transitionsinto the second channel section.

One advantage here is that the wake element controls the master profile cross-sectionarea before where the first channel section transitions into the second channel section,which allows for the material to recover shape after the wake element but still in thesecond channel section thus controlling the shape of the master profile immediatelybefore entering the second channel section. Different materials have different elasticproperties and thus partly recovers shape, i.e. swells, after the wake element at differentrates. Some materials need a series of portions recovering shape in order to finally stayin its desired form in the profile product.

According to one example, the master profile height when exiting the first channelsection is less than or equal to the master profile height in the second channel sectionbefore reaching the rotating die due to elasticity. The position of the wake elementdetermines where and how the master profile is allowed to recover shape and the closerthe wake element is to the where the rotating die has its minimum distance to thecounter-bearing, the less possibility for the master profile to recover its shape in thesecond channel section.

According to one example, the ﬁrst channel section comprises at least two side walls inthe form of a top pre-bearing and an opposing bottom pre-bearing, Wherein the top pre-bearing is arranged over the opposing bottom pre-bearing in the height direction, wherein the top pre-bearing and/or the bottom pre-bearing comprises the wake element.

The rotating die has a lowest position in the height direction at a position where thedistance in the height direction between the circumferential surface and the counter-bearing is at a minimum, and the lowest position of the rotting die can be arrangedbelow or above or at equal level as the lowest part of the upper edge of the wakeelement. It is a design feature determined by the elastic property of the material.

According to one example, the rotating die comprises a pattern comprising at least oneindentation, Wherein the rotating die is configured at a maximum distance between abottom of the indentation and the counter-bearing dependent on a minimum allowablepressure applied by the rotating die at the position of that maximum distance forachieving plastic deformation of the material in the indentation.

The pattern in the rotating die causes a corresponding opposite pattem in the ﬁnalprofile, i.e. when the pattem in the rotating die comprises an indentation, it causes acorresponding opposite pattern comprising an elevation in the in the final profile.

The rotating die is thus configured at a maximum distance between the rotating die andthe counter-bearing dependent on a minimum allowable pressure applied by the rotatingdie at the position of that minimum distance, Wherein the minimum allowable pressurecorresponds to the difference in height of the master profile and the final profile anddependent on pattem in the circumferential surface of the rotating die with regard toachieving the plastic deformation desired in the indentation, which minimum pressuredepends on the material to be extruded and/or pultruded.

It should be noted that the pattern in the rotating die could be arranged such that thedevice simultaneously exhibits the minimum distance and the maximum distance if thepattern is arranged such that the indentation is positioned in the circumferential surfacewith surrounding portion(s) of the circumferential surface, at least in the widthdirection, comprising no indentations when facing the counter-bearing. As an altemativethe pattern comprises a number of indentations spread in the width direction with suchnon-indentation portions between them facing the counter-bearing at the same time.Here, the rotating die exerts both maximum pressure in the non-indentation portion dueto the minimum distance and minimum pressure in the indentation due to the minimumdistance, at least during a short time interval during rotation of the rotating die. Thedesign choice of maximum pressure and minimum pressure further allows for anoptimized form change of the master profile to the final proﬁle dependent on materialsuch that the material in the indentation fills the indentation and becomes deformed atthe same time as the material between the outennost parts, in the radial direction, of therotating die does not exceed the maximum pressure allowed for the material and/or thedesign of the extrusion and/or pultrusion device. It should further be noted that some materials exhibit properties that allows for easy filling of the indentations due to theinitial pressure difference between the inside and the outside of the indentation. Whenthe indentation is filled a steady state condition, with regard to pressure difference, isachieved during a short time period. In such steady state condition the pressure in thematerial is balanced and the pressure difference is minimized. For some materials thepressure could be equal or essentially equal in both the indentation and the surroundingnon-indentation part during that part of the operation when the indentation faces thecounter bearing and the indentation is filled.

With reference to, but not being bound to, the above definitions, it is believed that aminimum pressure is required to achieve plastic deformation. For example, it isbelieved that aluminium has a minimum pressure level that depends on inter aliatemperature and the higher the temperature the less pressure is required. However, a toohigh pressure and thus a too high temperature may result in the aluminium liquifyingwhich removes the advantage of plastic deformation. The temperature increase in thematerial is at least in part achieved in the first channel section where the minimumcross-sectional area forces a form change of the material with pressure on the materialin all directions in the first channel section and the form change increase thetemperature. In the second channel section, the rotating die continues to change theshape of the master profile into the final profile by exerting a balanced pressure withinthe minimum and maximum limits. Should the rotating die comprise a pattem with oneor more indentations, then the minimum pressure is also vital for filling the indentationsin a manner with sufﬁcient pressure to achieve plastic deformation within theindentation. At the same time, that part of the rotating die lacking indentations exerts ahigher pressure on the master profile due to a lesser distance between the rotating dieand the counter-bearing than between the bottom of the indentation and the counter-bearing. Hence, when the rotating die comprises indentations, i.e. a pattern, then boththe minimum pressure and the maximum pressure becomes especially important andthus the respective maximum and minimum distance between the rotating die and thecounter-bearing.

In order to more easily explain the device, a cylindrical coordinate system has been usedfor the rotating die and an orthogonal Cartesian coordinate system for a three-dimensional space for the device in general. The rotating die therefore is described ashaving a width direction from end to end coinciding with a centre line, i.e. rotation axis,about which the rotating die rotates, and a thickness in a radial direction beingorthogonal to the width direction. The outer circumferential surface further extendsabout the axis in a rotation direction being perpendicular to the width direction. Here,rotation symmetric refers to a symmetrical disposition about the rotating axis or arotational balanced disposition of the matter in the rotating die. The device in general,i.e. e.g. the profile definition zone, the first and second channel sections, is described ashaving a width direction, a height direction and a longitudinal direction, where thelongitudinal direction coincides with the general production direction.

The rotating die is arranged to be rotatable about the axis and the axis can be directly orindirectly stored in and rotatably coupled to the first and second channel portion sidewalls.

With reference to the above-described coordinate systems it should be noted that theaxis of the rotating die can be arranged perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, i.e.to the production direction of the device in general, or can be arranged at an angle.

According to one example, the axis of the rotating die is directed substantiallyperpendicular to the production direction with the outer circumferential surfaceextending across the production direction in a width direction thereof.

According to one example, the axis of the rotating die coincides with the width directionof the device in general and the width direction of the rotating die coincide with thewidth direction of the device in general. The longitudinal direction coincides with theproduction direction, i.e. the main direction along which the material travels duringproduction.

According to one example, the axis of the rotating die does not coincide with the widthdirection of the device in general, but the axis of the rotating die and the width directionof the rotating die is arranged at an angle being less or more than 900 to the longitudinaldirection. However, the axis of the rotating die is arranged such that the outercircumferential surface extends across the production direction in a width directionthereof.

With reference to either one of the two examples above, the normal to the axis of therotating die coincides with the height direction of the device in general. Here, thenormal coincides with the radial direction of the rotating die. Here, the axis of therotating die is directed perpendicular to the normal of the production directionregardless of whether the axis of the rotating die coincide or not with the width directionof the device in general. However, according to one example the normal to the axis ofthe rotating die can be arranged at an angle to the height direction of the device ingeneral. However, the axis of the rotating die is arranged such that the outercircumferential surface extends across the production direction in a width directionthereof, but at an angle to the production direction.

According to one example, the one or more walls define a first cross-section at the endof the first channel section and wherein the second channel section defrnes a secondcross-section at a position where the distance between the circumferential surface andthe counter-bearing is at a minimum. As stated above, the geometry of the first channelsection is different from the second channel section such that the material passingthrough the first channel section changes form when entering the second channelsection. The changing of form is essential for increasing or maintaining the pressurelevel to such an extent that it will overcome the internal resistance (shear stresses) of thematerial, fast enough, for the material to saturate the second cross section, including animprint of the rotating die.

According to one example, the minimum distance in the height direction between thecircumferential surface and the counter-bearing in the second cross-section is less than a maximum distance in the height direction in the first cross-section. This has theadvantage that the material entering the second channel section Will be compressed inthe second channel section such that the pressure is increased or maintained to suchlevel that the material Will transform fast enough to saturate the second channel section,including the imprint of the rotating die.

Hence, the pressure is increased or maintained to such level that the material Willtransform fast enough to saturate the second channel section, including an imprint of therotating die. The pressure is achieved by a combination of an imprint depth of a patternin the circumferential surface and a Poisson effect and/or a combination of the shapetransition due to the geometrical shape difference between the first and second cross-sections and the Poisson effect.

According to one example, the geometry of the first channel section is different fromthe second channel section such that the material passing through the first channelsection changes form When entering the second channel section, Wherein the master proﬁle has a ﬁrst cross-section area geometry corresponding to thefirst cross-section and Wherein the final profile has a second cross-section area geometrydefined by the second cross-section, Wherein the ﬁrst cross-section area geometry isdifferent from the second cross-section area geometry in any given comparable position,Wherein the maximum pressure and thus the minimum distance in the second channelsection is dependent on a difference of cross-section area geometry of the master profileand the cross-section area geometry of the final proﬁle.

This has the advantage that the second channel section can be optimized dependent onthe level of material transformation from the master proﬁle to the final proﬁle.

According to one example, the rotating die is conﬁgured, before forming the profileproduct, to alter form during forming of the final profile dependent on the maximumallowable pressure and/ or, Wherein the counter-bearing is configured, before formingthe proﬁle product, to alter form during forming of the profile product dependent on themaximum allowable pressure.

This has the further advantage that the rotating die can be configured to change shapefrom a start-up procedure to steady state operation conditions due to heat and pressureduring the production, giving a predicted shape of the ﬁnal profile. This has the furtheradvantage that the counter-bearing can be configured to change shape due to heat andpressure during the production, giving a predicted shape of the final profile in a similarmanner.

According to one example, the first channel section comprises side Walls in the form ofa top pre-bearing and an opposing bottom pre-bearing. The top pre-bearing is arrangedover the opposing bottom pre-bearing in the height direction and are advantageouslypositioned in or at least in the vicinity of Where the ﬁrst channel section transitions intothe second channel section. One advantage here is that the top pre-bearing and/or the lO bottom pre-bearing can be optimised to release a certain master profile cross-sectiongeometry into the second channel section.

According to one example, also the top pre-bearing and/or the bottom pre-bearing canbe configured in a similar manner as the rotating die and/or the counter-bearing tochange form from a start-up procedure to a steady state operation According to one example, the maximum pressure and thus the minimum distance inthe second channel section is dependent on the total feeding rate of material in the firstchannel section, type of material, and temperature of the material when entering thesecond channel section.

This has the advantage that the second channel section can be optimized dependent onmanufacturing speed and material.

According to one example, the maximum allowable pressure applied by the rotating dieat the position of the minimum distance is dependent on friction between the materialand the counter bearing in the second channel section.

This has the advantage that the pattern in the final profile can be optimized dependenton shear stress applied from the counter bearing in the second channel section due tofriction.

According to one example, the cross-section area of the second channel section isconﬁgured to be sized with regard to a shrinking effect of the final proﬁle cooling downto the profile product having a final height.

According to one example, the pattern in the rotating die is configured to be sized withregard to a shrinking effect of the final profile cooling down to the proﬁle product.

According to one example, the rotating die is configured with a pattem with at least oneindentation, wherein each indentation comprises a release angle dependent on the radiusof the rotating die, the intended pattern in the final profile, the configuration of thecounter bearing and travelling speed of the final profile in order to achieve the intendedprofile product. The release angle in the indentation is arranged with relation to arelease angle in a corresponding elevation created in the final profile due to the materialbeing pressed into the cavity. Since the rotating die rotates, the indentation can bearranged with a shape that is different from the shape in the proﬁle product taking intoaccount the rotation and release angles affect the shape of the elevation in the finalprofile when the elevation is released from the indentation in the production direction.

This has the advantage that the pattern in the final proﬁle can be optimized dependenton design of the pattern in the rotation die.

According to one example, the device is configured to feed a friction material betweenthe counter-bearing and the final proﬁle and/or conﬁgured to feed a friction material between the rotating die and the final profile. One advantage here is that, the frictionsheet can be used to deﬁne and therefore predict friction between the material in any ofthe ﬁrst and/or second channels sections. The friction material can be a solid, liquid orgas and can be introduced into the device in nay suitable way. For example, the frictionmaterial can be introduced by feeding the material to the rotating die and/or the counter-bearing via a separate channel arranged in connection to the first channel section and/orthe second channel section. The friction material can alternatively be introduced to therotating die before the rotating die rotates into the second channel section, i.e. thefriction material travels along with the rotating die to the material in the secondchannels section. The friction material can alternatively be introduced to the materialbefore entering the first channel section, i.e. the friction material travels with thematerial to be extruded and/or pultruded. Should the friction material be a solid, it couldbe introduced as a sheet material or any suitable form that allows for the friction sheet todefine friction between the material in any of the ﬁrst and/or second channels sections.Should the friction material be a liquid, it can be introduced by dripping or inj ecting theliquid according to any one or a combination of the examples above, but is not limitedto the examples. Should the friction material be a gas, it can be introduced by inj ectingthe gas according to any one or a combination of the examples above, but is not limitedto the examples.

The material that is fed into the device to fonn the profile product can be in the form ofone homogenous material or a mixture of two or more materials that are blended and orlayered. The materials can be blended in different ratios and may be blended into ahomogeneous mix or a mix with gradients within the material. One material can be asolid and another material can be mouldable, e.g. stone bits and rubber. The materialcan also be a layered material comprising two or more layers of same or differentmaterials. The material may comprise one or more strings of solid material that followthrough the entire extrusion or pultrusion process, e. g. a wire or another reinforcementmaterial.

According to one example, the width of the ﬁrst channel section is, at least along aportion of its length and at least along a portion of its height, less than a distancebetween the two opposite side walls of the rotating die. Hence, the first channel sectionshould be at least smaller in width than a distance between the opposing first and secondchannel portion side walls in the second channel section. The difference in widthbetween the first channel section and the second channel section depends on features ofthe first and second side portions and tolerances between the rotating die and therespective opposing ﬁrst and second channel portion side walls. The width of the ﬁrstchannel section should be less than a distance being the distance between the opposingfirst and second channel portion side walls minus the sum of tolerances, i.e. the sum ofthe gap between the rotating die side walls and the respective opposing first and secondchannel portion side walls in the second channel section. If the ﬁrst and second sideportion comprises ﬂange portions, see below for further explanatioii, then the width ofthe first channel section is, at least along a portion of its length and at least along aportion of its height, less than a distance between the two ﬂange portions.

One advantage here is that local pressure reduction is achieved in connection to the ﬁrstand second outer edge portions due to the geometrical difference in the ﬁrst and secondchannel sections.

According to one example, local pressure reduction is achieved in connection to the firstand/or second side portions due to the geometrical difference in the first and secondchannel sections and a wake effect downstream the first channel section in connectionto the first and/or second side portions.

According to one example, the first channel section comprises a third side portionextending in the width direction, wherein the third side portion is arranged in relation tothe first side portion such that a pressure in the material to be extruded is less inconnection to the first side portion than in connection to the third side portion, and/or wherein the first channel section comprises a fourth side portion extending in the widthdirection, Wherein the fourth side portion is arranged in relation to the second sideportion such that a pressure in the material to be extruded is less in connection to thesecond side portion than in connection to the fourth side portion. One advantage is thatthird and fourth side portions creates a wake effect and thus a local pressure decreasedownstream the third and fourth side portions that further decreases the local pressure inthe first and second side portions of the rotating die.

According one example, the first channel section comprises leeward means inconnection to the third and/or fourth side portions arranged to decrease the space of thefirst channel section in the height direction being perpendicular to the width direction.

According one example the first channel section comprises leeward means inconnection to the third and/or fourth side portions arranged to decrease the space of thefirst channel section in the width direction. A combination of leeward means are alsopossible.

According to one example, the leeward means is an elevation facing into the throughchannel. The elevation can be arranged from top to bottom in the first channel section,or can be arranged as a part or several parts along the distance between the top tobottom of the first channel section. The leeward means are advantageously positioned inconnection to the first and second side portions of the rotating die.

One advantage with the leeward means is that the third and fourth side portions furtherdecreases the local pressure in connection to recesses and/or ﬂange portions in the firstand second side portions of the rotating die, see below.

According to one example, the second channel section is arranged in relation to the firstchannel section with a predetermined second distance between the radially outermostportion of the circumferential surface of the rotating die and the counter-bearing in thechannel portion being less than a predetermined first distance between the most far apart portions of the first channel section taken in a height direction coinciding with the radialdirection, and/ or wherein: the second channel section is arranged in relation to the ﬁrst channel section with apredetermined fourth distance between the innermost narrowest portions of the channelportion in the width direction being greater than a predeterrnined third distance betweenside walls in the first channel section taken in the width direction at the exit area fromthe first channel section.

One advantage is that the narrower first channel section creates a wake effect withdecreased pressure downstream in the first channel section and in connection to the firstand second side portions of the rotating die due to that the second channels section isbroader.

According to one example, the circumferential surface comprises a textured portion.The entire circumferential surface can be textured, but as an alternative only a portioncan be textured.

According to one example, the circumferential surface is non-textured or has a micropattern that leaves only an infinitesimal imprint on the profile product that can bevisible or non-visible for the human eye.

According to one example, the channel portion comprises a second rotating die arrangedopposite the first rotating die described above. The second rotating die can eitherreplace the counter-bearing in its entirety or can be a part of a static counter-bearing.The second rotating die can be arranged in a similar way as the above described firstrotating die to create same or different patterns on two sides of the proﬁle product. Thesecond rotating die can comprise recesses and/or ﬂange portions that can be arranged tocooperate with recesses and/or ﬂange portions of the first rotating die.

According to one example, the channel portion comprises a third rotating die arrangedat an angle to the first rotating die. This rotating die replaces the opposing first orsecond channel portion side wall entirely or partly. The third rotating die can bearranged together with only the first rotating die or together with both the first andsecond rotating die.

According to one example, the channel portion comprises a fourth rotating die arrangedopposite the third rotating die. The third rotating die can be arranged together with onlythe first rotating die or together with both the first and second rotating die The third and/or the fourth rotating die(s) can be arranged in a similar way as the abovedescribed first rotating die to create same or different patterns on two sides of the profileproduct. The second rotating die can comprise recesses and/or ﬂange portions that canbe arranged to cooperate with recesses and/or flange portions of the first rotating die.

According to one example, two or more rotating dies are synchronised. This has theadvantage of feeding the material at the same speed. However, it could be possible to also use non-synchronous rotating dies in order to create friction and/or a special patternand/or to compensate for material differences, or to achieve curved profiles, that followsa radius instead of a straight line at exit of the rotating die.

In all the above examples it is possible to use a combination of textured and non-textured rotating dies.

The invention also refers to a method for producing a profile product by use of a deviceaccording to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the method comprises -feeding a material to the first channel section and forming the same into the masterprofile in the first channel section, - feeding the material further to the second channel section and forming the same intothe ﬁnal profile in the second channel section. -transfonning the ﬁnal profile into the profile product.

According to one example, the final proﬁle and/or the profile product is stretched forachieving the same distance in the pattern along the production direction, i.e. to achieveequal distance between elevations and/or indentations in the pattern along theproduction direction.

According to one example, the distance between indentations in the pattern on therotating die is less than a distance between indentations in the corresponding pattem inthe production direction on the profile product, wherein a pulling and stretching deviceis configured to stretch the final profile and/or the profile product so that high precisionin distance between features on profile can be achieved by adjustment stretching According to one example, at least a part of the material should be plasticallydeformable when subject to the pressure applied in the first and/or second channelsections. Such materials are often denoted viscoelastic and/or viscoplastic materials.

Furthermore, extrusion relates to a process where a material is fed by pressure into thefirst channel section to be formed in the first and second channel sections. Pultrusionrelates to where the material to be formed is fed to the device and drawn through thefirst and second channel sections. It should be noted that the device can be arrangedpurely for extrusion or purely for pultrusion or a combination of the two.

Furthermore, profile product refers to a product having a three dimensional form, i.e.length, width and height. The proﬁle product may have a cross-section taken in thewidth and height plane being similar all along the length or may be different dependenton position in length. The cross-section can have any suitable two dimensional shape,for example, round, oval, elliptical, i.e. two sides, undulating, three or more sides or acombination of the same. One or more sides may be patterned, i.e. textured with one ormore patterns. The pattem/texture is created by the rotating die.

It should be noted that the invention can be varied within the scope of the claims andthat the examples described above and below should not be seen as limiting for theinvention.

For example, the first channel section could be circumferentially delimited by staticwalls or could be arranged with one or more dynamic walls as long as the material canbe extruded or pultruded with the device according to the invention. Static walls has theadvantage of being cheap and robust.

According to one example, the first channel portions can be arranged centred withrelation to the second channels. This has the advantage that the flow of material enteringthe second channel is evenly distributed. The first and second side portions can bearranged centred with respect to the first channel section with the advantage of having aevenly distributed decrease in pressure over the rotating die.

For example, the device could comprise several rotating devices arranged side by side,i.e. the rotating device could comprise two or more rotating devices having a commonrotating axel. The different rotating devices could be arranged in separate secondchannels or could be arranged in a common separate channel. The different rotatingdevices could have the same or different texture to create same or different patterns onthe proﬁle product. The proﬁle product could thus comprise one or more strands ofinternal profiles running along the production direction and being generated by thedifferent rotating devices. The different strands could be separable into separateproducts at predetermined separation lines that could coincide with the separation of thedifferent rotating devices. However, one separate rotating die could comprise apattern/texture that separates similar or different patterns such that the profiled productcomprises one or more strands of intemal proﬁles running along the productiondirection. Also here, the strands could be separable in the profiled product.

According to one example, the rotating die and/or the counter-bearing comprises acooling device that cools down the material when forrning the ﬁnal profile. This has theadvantage that a predetermined temperature of the material is achieved for optimummaterial properties of the proﬁle product. The material temperature when extrudingand/or pultruding can for certain materials be crucial for the quality of the profileproduct. The temperature is also important due to frictional properties between thematerial and the rotating die and/or the counter-bearing. The cooling device can, forexample, be arranged in the form of cooling circuits with gas or liquid ﬂuid conductorsarranged within the rotating die and/or the counter-bearing; and/or external devicescooling down the rotating die and/or the counter-bearing; and/or liquids or gaseousﬂuids added to the rotating die and/or the counter-bearing; or a combination of suchdevices or any other suitable cooling devices.

According to one example, the rotating die is conﬁgured to be cooled on the surface sothat the temperature of the rotating die surface is below a predeterrnined allowedtemperature of the extruded material.

According to one example, the rotating die is cooled on the surface so that thetemperature of the rotating die surface is at least 10 degrees Celsius below a glasstransition temperature or melting temperature of the material.

According to one example, the rotating die is cooled on the surface so that thetemperature of the rotating die surface is at least 50 degrees Celsius below a glasstransition temperature or melting temperature of the material, enabling higher speed ofextruding.

The device can further be arranged for co-extrusion and/or on-extrusion with one ormore inlet channels that connects to the ﬁrst channel section. Hence, one or morematerials could be fed to the first channel section via one channel, but two or morematerials can be fed to the first channel section via one inlet channel or a multiplechannel inlets. The multiple inlet channels can be the same in number as the number ofmaterials or the multiple inlet channels can be less than the number of materials if twoor more materials are fed via one inlet channel.

Two or more materials can be fed to the first channel section and/or the second channelsection via one inlet channel or multiple channel inlets. The multiple inlet channels canbe the same or more in number as the number of materials or the multiple inlet channelscan be less than the number of materials if two or more materials are fed via one inletchannel.

The invention further relates to a co-extrusion device and/or an on-extrusion devicecomprising an extrusion and/or pultrusion device according to what has been describedabove. The co-extrusion device and/or an on-extrusion device comprises at least twoinlet channels that connects directly or indirectly to the second channel section, whereineach of the at least two inlet channels is configured to feed one or more materials at apredetermined distance upstream from the second channel section or to a marriage pointfor the at least two inlet channels in connection to where the first channel sectiontransitions into the second channel section.

One advantage is that co-extrusion and/or on-extrusion allows for manufacturing alayered profile product and/ or a profile product with different materials and/ or a profileproduct with a core embedded in a surrounding material, e. g. electrical wire, toothedbelt etc.

According to one example, the device according to any of the examples abovecomprises a pulling and stretching device arranged downstream the second channelsection and configured to pull the material in the production direction when exiting thesecond channel section for transforming the final profile to the profile product.

According to one example, the distance between indentations in the pattern on therotating die is less than a distance between elevations in the corresponding pattem in theproduction direction on the profile product, wherein the pulling and stretching device isconfigured to stretch the final profile and/ or the profile product so that high precision in distance between features on profile can be achieved by adjustment stretching. Thedistance between the indentations in the rotating die is taken in the rotation direction,i.e. along the circumferential surface in the rotation direction.

One advantage is that the pulling and stretching device dynamically can stretch thematerial in the ﬁnal profile during its transition to proﬁle product, e.g. in order to obtainan equidistant pattern in the production direction of the proﬁle product. The pulling andstretching device can further be used to guide the final product in the width and/orheight direction during its transition from final product to profile product in order tocontrol bending.

The pulling and stretching device can be any type of device that comprises means forgripping the material and means for pulling. According to one example, the pulliiig andstretching device comprises controlling means for controlling the pulling force appliedto the material. The controlling means may comprise sensor(s) and/or may be connectedto sensor(s) that supervises the state of the final proﬁle and/or the material during itstransition from the final profile to the profile product. The sensor(s) comprises meansfor sending analog and/ or digital information to the controlling means. The informationrelates to the state of the material and the coiitrolling means are configured to processthe information for controlling the pulling and stretching device.

This enables good precision in distance between three dimensional-longitudinal featuresof profile, e. g. teeth in a pinion rack, making it possible to stretch profile so that highequidistant precision between teethes in a pinion rack or teethed belt becomes possible.

This also enables a possibility to design the rotating die so it results in profile productthat deliberately has a slightly shorter distance between three dimensional features,before stretching and gives room for stretching/pulling calibration.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGSThe invention will below be described in connection to a number of drawings, wherein; Fig. 1 schematically shows a cross-sectional view from below along section A-A infigure 2 of a device according to one example of the invention; Fig. 2 schematically shows a cross-sectional perspective side view of a device accordingto the invention; Fig. 2A schematically shows a similar view as figure 2, but including a materialprocessed; Fig. 2B schematically shows a side view along cross-section B-B in figure 1 accordingto one example; Fig. 2C schematically shows a side view along cross-sectioii B-B in figure 1 accordingto one example; F ig. 2D schematically shows a side view along cross-section B-B in figure 1 accordingto one example; Fig. 2E schematically shows a side view along cross-section B-B in figure 1 accordingto one example; Fig. 2F schematically shows a side view along cross-section B-B in figure 1 accordingto one example; Fig. 2G schematically shows a side view along cross-section B-B in figure 1 accordingto one example; Fig. 2H schematically shows a side view along cross-section B-B in ﬁgure 1 accordingto one example; Fig. 21 schematically shows a side view along cross-section B-B in figure 1 according toone example; Fig. 3A schematically shows a front view of a rotating die according to one example; Fig. 3B schematically shows a perspective view of a rotating die according to oneexample; Fig. 4 schematically shows an enhanced portion of the rotating die and the final profilein any of figures 2B-21; Fig. 4A schematically shows an enhanced portion of a final profile in figure 4;Fig. 4B schematically shows an enhanced portion of a rotating die in figure 4; Fig. 5 schematically shows a cross-sectional side view of a device according to oneexample of the invention Fig. 6 schematically shows a perspective back view and outlet of a device according toone example of the invention; Fig. 7 schematically shows a cross-section of the master profile taken in a first cross-section of figure 5 and a cross-section of the final profile taken in the second cross-section of figure 5 according to one example; Fig. 8 schematically shows a cross-section of the master profile taken in a ﬁrst cross-section of figure 5 and a first cross-section of the final profile taken in the second cross-section of figure 5 when the rotating die has imprinted a pattem in the ﬁnal profile and asecond cross-section of the ﬁnal profile taken in the second cross-section of figure 5when the rotating die has not imprinted a pattern in the final profile; F ig. 9 schematically shows a back view and outlet of an assembly of rotary diesincluding three rotary dies; Fig. 10 schematically shows a perspective view of an assembly according to figure 9; Fig. 11 schematically shows a back view and outlet of an assembly of rotary diesincluding four rotary dies; Fig. 12 schematically shows a perspective view of an assembly according to ﬁgure 11,and wherein; Figs. 13-18 schematically show co-extrusion device and/or an on-extrusion devicecomprising a device according to any one of figs. 1-12; Fig. 13 schematically shows a cross-section side view of a co-extrusion device and/oran on-extrusion device according one example; Fig. 14 schematically shows a perspective view of a co-extrusion device and/or an on-extrusion device according one example; Fig. 15 schematically shows a cross-section side view of a co-extrusion device and/oran on-extrusion device according one example; Fig. 16 schematically shows a cross-section side view of a co-extrusion device and/oran on-extrusion device according one example where the device comprises twoopposing rotating dies; Fig. 17 schematically shows a cross-section side view of a co-extrusion device and/oran on-extrusion device according one example comprising one rotating die 3; Fig. 18 schematically shows an example where the first inlet channel conveys acontinuous solid material in the form of a wire or the like, and a material to be extrudedor pultruded in the first and second channel sections, and where; Fig. 19 schematically shows a ﬂow chart of a method for producing a profile product byuse of a device according to what has been described in connection to ﬁgures 1-18.

DETAILED DESCRIPTIONThe invention will below be described in connection to a number of drawings. Samefeatures will be denoted with like numbers in all the drawings.

Here, front view with inlet and back view with outlet are used as an orientation for thereader with regard to production direction where material to be worked is inserted intothe inlet and a profile product is shaped in the device and then exits the device via theoutlet.

In some drawings, the production direction is denoted PD with an arrow pointing in theproduction direction.

Fig. 1 schematically shows a view from below along section A-A in figure 2, i.e. in aheight direction Z, of a device according to one example of the invention and figure 2schematically shows a cross-section perspective view of the device in ﬁgure 1. Figures1 and 2 show an extrusion- or pultrusion device 1 for extrusion- or pultrusion in aproduction direction Y of a profile product 2 , see figures 2A-21 and figs 4, 4A, 4B, 7and 8, made from a viscoelastic material and/or plastically deformable material withelastic property and/or viscoplastic material with elastic property.

The device comprises: -a rotating die 3 , extending in a radial R direction and a width direction X, having twoopposite first and second side walls 5, 6 and an outer circumferential surface 4extending in the width direction X there between, wherein the rotating die 3 comprises afirst side portion 23 in connection to the first side wall 5 and a second side portion 25 inconnection to the second side wall 6 and a mid-portion 22 extending between the firstand second side portions 23, 25, and -a profile definition zone 7 having a longitudinal direction Y coinciding with theproduction direction Y, a height direction Z and a width direction X being perpendicularto the height direction Z, comprising a through channel 8 comprising a first channelsection 9 followed by a second channel section 10 downstream the first channel section9 with reference to the production direction, wherein the rotating die 3 is rotatable aboutan axis extending across the production direction Y and arranged to allow the outercircumferential surface 4 to, while the rotating die 3 rotates, exert a pressure onto asurface of the material when fed through the profile definition zone 7, and wherein; -the first channel section 9 is circumferentially delimited by one or more walls 11 and wherein - the second channel section 10 is circumferentially delimited by -the circumferential surface 4 of the rotating die 3 and -a channel portion 13 comprising -a counter-bearing 14, shown in figure 2, opposite the rotating die 3 and -opposing first and second channel portion side walls 15, 16 between the rotating die 3and the counter-bearing 14.

According to an example embodiment, figures 1, 2, 2A-2D schematically show that thefirst channel section 9 is configured to deform the material into a master profile 36having a maximum height H1 at a predetermined feeding rate dependent on materialand minimum cross-sectional area with a first maximum height D1 in the first channelsection 9 when exiting the first channel section, wherein the first channel section 9 comprises a wake element 58 having apredetermined height D5 dependent on the elastic property of the material, wherein the wake element 58 is positioned in at least the height direction Z.and whereinthe second channel section 10 is conﬁgured to further deforrn the material into a final proﬁle 37 having a minimum height H2 by the rotating die 3 being configured to applyincreasing pressure on the master profile 36 against the counter-bearing 14 when themaster profile 36 exits the first channel section 9, wherein the rotating die 3 is conﬁgured at a minimum distance D2 between the rotatingdie 3 and the counter-bearing 14 dependent on a maximum allowable pressure appliedby the rotating die 3 at the position of that minimum distance D2, wherein themaximum allowable pressure corresponds to the maximum difference in height of themaster proﬁle 36 and the final proﬁle 37 and dependent on pattern 38 in thecircumfereiitial surface 4 of the rotating die 3, and dependent on the elastic property of the material and thus difference between theheight H3 of the final profile and the profile product due to the elasticity of the material.

According to one example, the first channel section 9 comprises at least two side walls11 in the form of a top pre-bearing 41 and an opposing bottom pre-bearing 42, whereinthe top pre-bearing 41 is arranged over the opposing bottom pre-bearing 42 in the heightdirection Z, wherein the top pre-bearing 41 and/or the bottom pre-bearing 42 comprisesthe wake element 58.

According to one example, the wake element protrudes in a direction from the side wallinto the first channel section. According to one example, the wake element protrudes inthe height direction from the side wall into the first channel section One advantage here is that maximum load is controlled in both the ﬁrst- and secondchannel section which gives the possibility to design the extrusion and/or pultrusiondevice dependent on material to be processed and process speed. Controlling themaximum load dependent on material to be processed allows for a production rate withhigh quality output and reduces risk for e.g. rupture due to a too high stress on thematerial.

Figure 2A schematically shows a similar view as figure 2 and that the material isformed in the first channel section 9 into the master profile 36 and directly thereafterformed in the second channel section 10 into the final profile 37. Figure 2A also showsthat the final profile 37 has a lesser height H1 than the height H2 of the master proﬁle36 due to further pressure on the master profile 36 in the second channel section 10.Figure 2A also shows that the product profile 2 has a lesser height H3 than the heightH1 of the final proﬁle 36 due to shrinking when cooling down from the final proﬁle 37to the product profile 2. In figure 2A the rotating die lacks indentions 38 as shown infigures 2B-2D. Comparing figures 2B-2D with ﬁgure 2A, the rotating die 3 in ﬁgure 2Acould be seen, as shown in ﬁgure 2B, as being rotated such that the part of the rotatingdie 3 pressing against the material against the counter-bearing 14 lacks indentations 38and thus exerts maximum pressure against the material.

Figure 2B schematically shows a side view along cross-section B-B in figure 1 and issimilar to figure 2A, but the rotating device is rotated such that the part of the rotatingdie 3 pressing against the material against the counter-bearing 14 does not comprise anindentation 38. Figures 2C and 2D show a similar device 1 as figure 2B, but where the rotating die 3 is rotated such that the indentation 38 with a bottom 44 faces the counterbearing14.

Figure 2B schematically shows an initial zone A where the material is pressed by adevice (not shown) into the ﬁrst channel section 9 either by a device (not shown)exerting an external pressure in the production direction, i.e. extrusion, and/or by thematerial being dragged through the ﬁrst channel 9 by a device (not shown) dragging thematerial in the production direction PD, i.e. pultrusion. Zone A of the device comprisesa funiiel shaped opening 43 where the material changes form from an initial formhaving a larger cross-section that the ﬁrst channel section 9. The shape of the openingcan, however, vary depeiiding on material, temperature and device pressing thematerial.

Figure 2B schematically shows a zone B arranged directly after zone A, wherein zone Bcorrespond to the first channel section 9 and where the formation of the master profile36 takes place due to the material changing form due to the pressure exerted on thematerial from the side walls ll iii the ﬁrst channel section 9 when the material movesthrough the first channel section 9.

Figure 2B schematically shows a zone C arranged directly after zone B, wherein zone Ccorrespond to the second channel section 10 and where the formation of the ﬁnal profile36 takes place due to the material changing form due to the pressure exerted on thematerial from at least the rotating die 3 and the opposing counter bearing 14 in thesecond channel section 10 when the material moves through the second channel section9.

Figure 2B schematically shows a zone D arranged directly after zone C, wherein zone Dcorrespond to a section of the production line after the second channel section 10 andwhere the material starts to cool down and where the final profile 36 starts to changeform due to shrinking as a consequence of the temperature drop. In zone D, the finalprofile 37 can be subject to various production measures for achieving desired materialproperties. For example, cooling, heating, stretching, compressing, etc. in order tochange the final profile 37 into a profile product 2 with desired material properties.

The length of Zone D depends on material properties and a working environmentsurrounding the material in zone D. The material properties are e.g. heat dissipation andthe mass of the material to be cooled down. For example, a thinner material cools downfaster than a thicker material. The working environment refers e. g. to ambienttemperature and humidity. For example, a warmer environment slows down the coolingprocess compared to a cooler environment.

Figure 2B schematically shows a zone E arranged after zone D, wherein zone Ecorrespond to a section of the production line where the material has cooled down to apredetermined temperature representing a temperature establishing the final form of theproduct profile and where no or an infinitesimal change of form will continue. Figure2B, shows that the proﬁle product has a height H3 in Zone E being less than the height H2 of the final profile 37. In the same manner, the pattern 39 of the final profile 37 hasshrunk to a pattern 40 in zone E due to the Cooling.

Figure 2B shows an example, where the device 1 according to any of the examplesabove comprises a pulling and stretching device 54 arranged downstream the secondchannel section 10 and configured to pull the material in the production direction PDwhen exiting the second channel section 10 for transforming the final profile 37 to theprofile product 2.

One advantage is that the pulling and stretching device dynamically can stretch thematerial in the final profile during its transition to profile product, e. g. in order to obtainan equidistant pattern in the production direction of the profile product. The pulling andstretching device can further be used to guide the final product in the width and/orheight direction during its transition from to final product to profile product in order tocontrol bending.

According to one example, the distance between indentations 3 8 in the pattern 3 8 on therotating die 3 is less than a distance between elevations 40 in the corresponding pattern38 in the production direction on the profile product 2, wherein the pulling andstretching device 54 is configured to stretch the final profile 37 and/or the profileproduct 2 so that high precision in distance between features on profile can be achievedby adjustment stretching.

The pulling and stretching device can be any type of device that comprises means forgripping the material and means for pulling. According to one example, the pulling andstretching device comprises controlling means 55 for controlling the pulling forceapplied to the material. The controlling means 55 may comprise sensor(s) and/or maybe connected to sensor(s) 56 that supervises the state of the final profile and/or thematerial during its transition from the final profile to the profile product. The sensor(s)comprises means for sending analog and/or digital information to the controlling means.The information relates to the state of the material and the controlling means isconﬁgured to process the information for controlling the pulling and stretching device.In figure 2B, the rotating die 3 and/or the counter-bearing 14 comprises a cooling device57 that cools down the material when forming the final profile 37. This has theadvantage that a predetermined temperature of the material is achieved for optimummaterial properties of the profile product. The material temperature when extrudingand/ or pultruding can for certain materials be crucial for the quality of the profileproduct. The temperature is also important due to frictional properties between thematerial and the rotating die and/ or the counter-bearing. The cooling device can, forexample, be arranged in the form of cooling circuits with gas or liquid ﬂuid conductorsarranged within the rotating die and/or the counter-bearing; and/ or external devicescooling down the rotating die and/or the counter-hearing; and/or liquids or gaseousfluids added to the rotating die and/or the counter-bearing; or a combination of suchdevices or any other suitable cooling devices. It should be noted, that rotating die 3 canbe configured to operate without the cooling device 57 in figure 2B, as is shown in e.g.figs. 2C-2D.

According to one example, the rotating die 3 is configured to be cooled on the surfaceso that the temperature of the rotating die surface is below a predetermined allowedtemperature of the extruded material.

Figures 2B-2D schematically show that the rotating die 3 comprises a pattern 38comprising at least one indentation 38 in the circumferential surface 4. In figures 2B-2D, the pattern 38 comprises 4 indentations, but the number of indentations is here onlyan illustrative example and there may be more or less indentation in a pattern spreadover the rotating die in a predetermined design depending on the desired features of theprofile product 2. The indentations can have any shape suitable, for example oval,round, polygon or a mixture of such or other shapes. The indentations 38 have a bottom44 at a maximum depth of the indentation and the indentations may have different orsimilar depths. Between the indentations 38 the rotating die comprises portions thathave a minimum distance D2 between the rotating die 3 and the counter bearing 14when facing the counter-bearing 14. The indentation 38 with the largest distancebetween the bottom 44 and the counter-bearing 14 when facing the counter-bearingforms a maximum distance D22, see figures 2C and 2D, between the rotating die 3 andthe counter-bearing 14.

According to one example, the minimum distance D2 in the height direction Z betweenthe circumferential surface 4 and the counter-bearing 14 in the second cross-section 17is less than a maximum distance Dl in the height direction in the first cross-section 12.

Figures 2C and 2D schematically shows the same side view as figure 2B with Zones asdescribed above, but with the rotating die 3 being rotated such that one indentation 38faces the counter-bearing 14.

Figures 2C and 2D schematically show that the rotating die 3 is configured at amaximum distance D22 between a bottom 44 of the indentation 38 and the counter-bearing 14 dependent on a minimum allowable pressure applied by the rotating die atthe position of that maximum distance D22 for achieving plastic deformation of thematerial in the indentation 3 8.

Figures 2B-2D, schematically shows that, the pattern 38 in the rotating die 3 isconfigured to be sized with regard to a shrinking effect of the final profile 37 coolingdown to the profile product 2.

It should be noted that the pattern 38 in the rotating 3 could be arranged such that thedevice 1 simultaneously exhibits the minimum distance D2 and the maximum distanceD22 if the pattern 3 8 is arranged such that the indentation is positioned in thecircumferential surface 4 with surrounding portion(s) of the circumferential surface 4, atleast in the width direction X, comprising no indentations when facing the counter-bearing 14. As an altemative the pattem 38 comprises a number of indentations 38spread in the width direction X with such non-indentation portions between them facingthe counter-bearing 14 at the same time. Here, the rotating die 3 exerts both maximumpressure in the non-indentation portion due to the minimum distance D2 and minimumpressure in the indentation due to the minimum distance D22 during at least a short timeinterval. The design choice of maximum pressure and minimum pressure further allowsfor an optimized form change of the master profile to the final profile dependent onmaterial such that the material in the indentation fills the indentation and becomesdeformed at the same time as the material between the outermost parts, in the radialdirection, of the rotating die does not exceed the maximum pressure allowed for thematerial and/or the design of the extrusion and/or pultrusion device. It should further benoted that some materials exhibit properties that allows for easy ﬁlling of theindentations due to the initial pressure difference between the inside and the outside ofthe indentation. When the indentation is filled a steady state condition, with regard topressure difference, is achieved during a short time period. In such steady statecondition the pressure in the material is balanced and the pressure difference isminimized. For some materials the pressure could be equal or essentially equal in boththe indentation and the surrounding non-indentation part during that part of theoperation when the indentation faces the counter bearing and the indentation is filled.

It should also be noted that the rotating die can have a different circumferential distancebetween the indentations 38 than what is given in the finished profile product should itbe rolled up around the rotating die, allowing for compensation and adjusting distancebetween features to get high precision on finished profile product by e.g. stretching thefinal profile after extrusion.

Figure 2C schematically shows that an upper portion 41, also called pre-bearing 41below, of the wall ll in the first channel section 9 is arranged at a height level in the Z-direction above a maximum height level of the bottom 44 of the indentation 38 whenthe indentation 38 faces the counter-bearing 14. Figure 2D schematically shows that theupper portion 41 of the wall 11 in the first channel section 9 is arranged at a height levelin the Z-direction below a maximum height level of the bottom 44 of the indentation 38when the indentation 38 faces the counter-bearing 14. The height level of the upperportion 41 can vary dependent on material and on the pattem 38 in the rotating die 3 andthus how the material changes form to fill the indentation 38 with the plasticdeformation.

Figures 2A to 21 schematically show that the first channel section 9 comprises sidewalls 11 in the form of a top pre-bearing 41 and an opposing bottom pre-bearing 42.

The top pre-bearing 41 is arranged over the opposing bottom pre-bearing 42 in theheight direction Z.

Figure 2E schematically shows one example embodiment where the top pre-bearing 41comprises the wake element 58.

Figure 2F schematically shows one example embodiment Where the bottom pre-bearing42 comprises the wake element 58.

Figure 2G schematically shows one example embodiment where the bottom pre-bearing42 and the top pre-bearing 41 comprise the wake element 58.

In figures 2E-2G, the wake element 58 is arranged at a predeterrnined distance upstreamin the production direction PD from where the ﬁrst channel section 9 transitions into thesecond channel section 10.

Figure 2H schematically shows one example embodiment where the wake element 58 isarranged where the first channel section 9 transitions into the second channel section 10,wherein the wake element 58 comprises an upper edge 59 with a lowest part, in theheight direction Z, wherein the upper edge 59 delimits an upper portion, in the heightdirection Z, of the wake element 58 in the ﬁrst channel section 9 where the ﬁrst channelsection 9 transitions into the second channel section 10. 1n figure 2H the wake element58 is a protrusion in the ﬁrst channel section with the upper edge 59 facing the bottompre-bearing 42.

Figure 21 schematically shows one example embodiment where the wake element 58 isarranged where the ﬁrst channel section 9 transitions into the second channel section 10,wherein the wake element comprises an upper edge 59 with a lowest part, in the lieightdirection Z, wherein the upper edge 59 delimits an upper portion, in the height directionZ, of the wake element 58 in the first channel section 9 where the first channel section 9transitions into the second channel section 10. 1n ﬁgure 21 the wake element 58 isarranged as being the entire top pre-bearing in the first channel section with the upperedge 59 facing the bottom pre-bearing 42.

Figures 2H and 21 show that the wake element 58 protrudes to a height level Z beingbelow the lowest point of the circumferential surface 4, i.e. where the distance D2 is atits minimum. 1n figure 21, the height D5 of the wake element 58 is determined by thedifference between the maximum height H11 of the master profile 36 in the secondchannel section 10, and the position in the height direction Z of the upper edge 59 of thewake element 58. 1n figures 2E-2H, the height D5 of the wake element 58 is deterininedby the difference between the maximum height Dl of the ﬁrst channel section 9 and theposition in the height direction Z of the upper edge 59 of the wake element 58.However, in figure 2H the height D5 of the wake element 58 can alternatively bedetermined by the difference between the maximum height H1 1 of the master profile 36in the second channel section 10, and the position in the height direction Z of the upperedge 59 of the wake element 58. Figures 2B-2D shows that the top pre-bearing 41 ispositioned at a height level in the height direction Z being above the lowest point of the circumferential surface 4, i.e. where the distance D2 is at its minimum. Here, thecalculation of the height D5 of the wake element 58 can be calculated according to theabove dependent on the position of the wake element 58 and the elastic property of thematerial.

The cross-section of the ﬁrst channel section 9 is conﬁgured to be sized with regard tothe elastic properties of the material and a shrinking effect of the ﬁnal profile Y2cooling down to the proﬁle product 2 having a final height H3. Hence, the height D5 ofthe wake element 58 is dependent on at least the elastic properties of the material.

The pattern in the rotating die 3 is conﬁgured to be sized with regard to the elasticproperties and a shrinking effect of the final profile 37 cooling down to the profileproduct 2.

According to the examples in figures 2B-2I the master profile height H1 when exitingthe first channel section 9 is less than or equal to a master profile height H11 in thesecond channel section 10 before reaching the rotating die 3 due to elasticity.

As mentioned above, the relative position of the upper edge 59 and the lowest point ofthe rotating die 3 can vary dependent on the elastic property of the material for all theexamples in ﬁgures 2E-2I. In ﬁgures 2B-2G the upper edge 59 of the wake element is,in the height direction Z, positioned above the lowest point of the rotating die 3 and infigures 2H-2I the upper edge 59 of the wake element is, in the height direction Z,positioned below the lowest point of the rotating die 3.

According to one example, the cross-section area A1 of the second channel section 10 isconﬁgured to be sized with regard to a shrinking effect of the final profile 37 coolingdown to the profile product 2 having a final height H3.

According to one example embodiment, figure 1 schematically shows that the width D3of the first channel section 9 is, at least along a portion of its length and at least along aportion of its height, less than a distance D4 between the two opposite side walls 5, 6 ofthe rotating die 3. Hence, the first channel section 9 should be at least smaller in widththan a distance between the opposing first and second channel portion side walls 15, 16in the second channel section 10. The difference in width between the first channelsection 9 and the second channel section 10 depends on features of the ﬁrst and secondside portions 23, 25 and tolerance between the rotating die 3 and the respectiveopposing first and second channel portion side walls 15, 16. The width D3 of the firstchannel section 9 should be less than a distance D4 being the distance between theopposing first and second channel portion side walls 15, 16 minus the sum oftolerances, i.e. the sum of the gap between the rotating die side walls 5, 6 and therespective opposing ﬁrst and second channel portion side walls 15, 16 in the secondchannel section 10. If the ﬁrst and second side portion comprises ﬂange portions 18, 19,see below for further explanation, then the width D3 of the first channel section 9 is, atleast along a portion of its length and at least along a portion of its height, less than adistance D4 between the two ﬂange portions 18, 19.

One advantage is that a local pressure reduction is achieved in connection to the ﬁrstand second outer edge portions 5, 6 due to the geometrical difference in the first andsecond channel sections 9, 10. The local pressure reduction reduces the ﬂow speed ofthe material and this removes leakage problems between the first side wall 5 and thefirst and the first channel portion side wall 15; and between the second side wall 6 andthe second channel portion side wall 16. This will be explained further below and alsoin combination with additional leakage protection strategies. Figure l shows oneexample of an additional and figure 5 shows another example of leakage protectionstrategies. The different examples can be combined, which will be explained furtherbelow.

It should be noted that the rotating die 3 can be cylindrical or non-cylindrical andtextured or not textured dependent on desired profile of the profile product.

According to one example shown in figures 3A and 3B, the rotating die 3 may beconfigured, before forming the profile product 2, to alter form during forrning of thefinal profile 37 dependent on the maximum allowable pressure. In figures 3A and 3B, atleast a mid-portion 22 of the circumferential surface 4 of the rotating die 3 is convex inorder to allow bending due to, at least, the forces and temperature during steady stateproduction so that a predicted pattern 39 can be achieved in the final proﬁle 37 duringthe steady state operation. Here, steady state operation refers to stable operatingconditions after a start-up procedure.

According to one example (not shown), the counter-bearing 14 is configured, beforeforming the profile product 2, to alter form during forming of the profile product 2dependent on the maximum allowable pressure. According to one example (not shown),also the top pre-bearing 41 and/or the bottom pre-bearing 42 can be configured in asimilar manner to change form a start-up procedure to a steady state operation.

According to one example shown in figures 4, 4A and 4B, the rotating die 3 isconfigured with a pattem 38 with at least one indentation 38 with a bottom 44, whereineach indentation 38 comprises a release angle a2 compared to a release angle al of thecorresponding elevation in the pattern 39 in the final profile 37. The release angles aland a2 are dependent on the radius of the rotating die 3, the intended pattern 39 in thefinal proﬁle 37, the configuration of the counter bearing and travelling speed of the finalprofile 37. However, al is greater than a2 dependent on radius of the rotating die 3 andtype of pattern 38 in the rotating die 3.

Figures 4, 4A and 4B show that the indentation 38 in the pattern 38 has a height D23,alternatively called depth, in the radial direction R from the bottom 44 of the indentation38 to the indentation delimiting portion in the circumferential surface 4 of the rotatingdie 3. The height D23 plus the distance D2 in figure 2B is equal to the maximumdistance D22 in figures 2C and 2D and is thus relevant for the minimum allowablepressure for achieving plastic deformation of the material in the indentation 38. Figure4A further shows that the pattem 39 in the final profile has an elevation with a height H4 that correspond to the depth D23 between the bottom 40 of the indentation 38 andthe circumferential outer most portion of the rotating die 3.

In figure 1 the first side portion 23 comprises a ﬁrst ﬂange portion 18 extending in aradial direction R with an extension exceeding the radial extension of at least a part ofthe mid-portion 22 and wherein the second side portion 25 comprises a second ﬂangeportion 19 extending in the radial direction with an extension exceeding the radialextension of at least a part of the mid-portion 22.

The ﬁrst ﬂange portion 18 and the second ﬂange portion 19 are arranged to preventmovement of the material outside the rotating die 3 in a direction towards the opposingfirst and second channel portion side walls 15, 16.

The rotating die 3 can be arranged without flange portions which is shown at least infigures 2B-2D, 4, 4A and 4B.

Fig. 5 schematically shows a cross-sectional side view of a device according to oneexample embodiment of the invention and ﬁg. 6 schematically shows a back view andoutlet of the device in ﬁgure 5. In figure 5, the one or more walls 11 define a first cross-section 12 at the end of the first channel section 9 and wherein the second channelsection 10 deﬁnes a second cross-section 17 at a position where the distance betweenthe circumferential surface 4 and the counter-bearing 14 is at a minimum, and whereinthe geometry of the ﬁrst channel section 9 is different from the second channel section10 such that the material passing through the first channel section 9 changes form whenentering the second channel section 10.

Fig. 7 schematically shows a cross-section of the master profile 36 taken in the ﬁrstcross-section 12 of figure 5 and a cross-section of the final profile 37 taken in thesecond cross-section 17 of figure 5 according to one example; Referring also to ﬁgures 1-2D, fig. 7 schematically shows a cross-section of the masterprofile 36 and the final profile 37 when using a non-textured rotating die, i.e. no pattem38 with indentations 38 as described above.

Fig. 8 schematically shows a cross-section of the master profile 36 taken in the ﬁrstcross-section 12 of figure 5 and a ﬁrst cross-section of the final profile 37 taken in thesecond cross-section 17 of figure 5 when the rotating die 3 has imprinted a pattern 39 inthe final profile and a second cross-section of the final profile 37 taken in the secondcross-section 17 of figure 5 when the rotating die 3 has not imprinted a pattern 39 in thefinal profile; Referring also to ﬁgures 1-2D, fig. 8 schematically shows a cross-section of the masterprofile 36 and the ﬁnal profile 37 when using a textured rotating die, i.e. with a pattern38 with indentations 38 as described above. The pattem 38 in the rotating die causes acorresponding opposite pattern 39 in the ﬁnal proﬁle, i.e. when the pattern 38 in therotating die 3 comprises an indentation 38, it causes a corresponding opposite pattem 39comprising an elevation 39 in the ﬁnal profile 37. In figure 8 the cross-section of the final profile 37 has been denoted 37a When the ﬁnal proﬁle has an elevation 39 causedby the indentation 38. In figure 8 the cross-section of the ﬁnal proﬁle 37 has beendenoted 37b when the ﬁnal profile lacks an elevation 39 caused by the circumferentialsurface 4 of the rotating die 3 in the space between the indentations 38.

Referring to ﬁgures 1-2D and figures 7 and 8, the master proﬁle 36 has a first cross-section area geometry A1 corresponding to the ﬁrst cross-section 12 and wherein theﬁnal proﬁle 37 has a second cross-section area geometry A2 defined by the secondcross-section 17, wherein the first cross-section area geometry A1 is different from thesecond cross-section area geometry A2 in any given comparable position, wherein themaximum pressure and thus the minimum distance D2 in the second channel section 10is dependent on a difference of cross-section area geometry A1 of the master profile 36and the cross-section area geometry A2 of the ﬁnal profile 37.

Figure 5 shows that the walls 11 are static and define a first cross-section 12 at the endof the ﬁrst channel section 9 and wherein the second channel section 10 defines asecond cross-section 17 at a position where the distance D2 between the circumferentialsurface 4 and the counter-bearing 14 is at a minimum, and wherein the geometry of theﬁrst channel section 9 is different from the second channel section 10 such that thematerial passing through the ﬁrst channel section 9 changes form when entering thesecond channel section 10.

The minimum distance D2 in the height direction Z between the circumferential surface4 and the counter-bearing 14 in the second cross-section 17 is less than a maximumdistance D1 in the height direction in the ﬁrst cross-section 12. This has the advantageof forcing the material to change form and start flowing in various directions dependenton the shape and form of the rotating die 3 and shape and form of the counter-bearing14 opposite the rotating die 3.

Due to the geometrical difference in the ﬁrst channel section 9 and the second channelsection 10, the pressure in the second channel section 10 is increased or maintained tosuch level that the material will transfonn fast enough to saturate the second channelsection, including an imprint of the rotating die.

The change of geometry in the master profile 36 and final profile 37 in figures 7 and 8is relevant for all examples discussed above and below. It should be noted that the firstchannel section 9 and the second channel section 10 can be formed with different cross-section geometries such as oval, round, polygon, undulating or a combination of one ormany shapes.

With reference to figure 1-2D, the second channel section 10 is advantageouslyarranged in relation to the first channel section 9 with a predetermined second distanceD2, shown in figure 5, between the radially outermost portion of the circumferentialsurface 4 of the rotating die 3 and the counter-bearing 14 in the channel portion 13being less than a predetermined first distance Dl, shown in figure 5, between the most far apart portions of the ﬁrst channel section 9 taken in a height direction Z coincidingwith the radial direction, and/ or wherein: the second channel section 10 is arranged in relation to the ﬁrst channel section 9 with apredetermined fourth distance D4, shown in figure 1, between the innermost narrowestportions of the channel portion 13 in the width direction X being greater than apredetermined third distance D3, shown in figure 1, between side walls in the firstchannel section taken in the width direction X at the exit area from the ﬁrst channel.

This change in both height and width forces the material to reform and the narrowerfirst channel section gives a locally decreased pressure when entering the channelsection since the first and second side portions are in the wake, i.e. behind the side wallsin the first channel.

Furthermore, with reference to figure l the first and second side walls 5, 6 arepositioned in relation to the first and second channel portion side walls 15, 16 such thatthe first and second side walls 5, 6 are rotatably connected to the first and secondchannel portion side walls 15, 16 with a tolerance arranged dependent on productmaterial and the geometrical relation between the first and second channel sections 9, 10 The circumferential surface 4 may comprise a textured portion 30 that can cover all therotating die but the annular recess portion, or the first side portion 4 comprises a non-textured portion 31 extending between the first ﬂange portion 18 and the texturedportion 30 and wherein the second side portion 25 comprises a non-textured portion 32between the second ﬂange portion 19 and the textured portion 30.

The non-textured portions 31, 32 advantageously has a radius less than a radius to animprint depth of the textured portion 30, especially in the annular recess 19 portion.However according to one example (not shown), the circumferential surface 4 can benon-textured but with a smooth surface or a micro-patterned surface. The non-texturedrotating die can have a shape being cylindrical or undulating.

Fig. 9 schematically shows a back view and outlet of an assembly of rotary dies 3including three rotary dies, 3, 33, 34 and fig. 10 schematically shows a perspective viewof an assembly according to figure 9. With references to figures 1, 5 and 6, the channelportion 13 comprises a second rotating die 33 arranged opposite the first rotating die 3replacing the counter-bearing 14 in figures 1, 5 and 6. The second rotating 33 die caneither replace the counter-bearing 14 in its entirety or can be a part of a static counter-bearing 14 (not shown). The second rotating 33 die can be arranged in a similar way asthe above described ﬁrst rotating die 3 to create same or different patterns on two sidesof the profile product. The second rotating die 33 can comprise annular recesses and/orﬂange portions that can be arranged to cooperate with annular recesses 29 and/or ﬂangeportions 18, 19 of the first rotating die 3.

According to one example shown in figures 9 and 10, the channel portion 13 (shown infigures 1, 5 and 6) comprises a third rotating die 34 arranged at an angle to the first rotating die. This rotating die replaces the opposing first or second channel portion sideWall 15, 16 entirely or partly. The third rotating die 34 can be arranged together withonly the first rotating die or together with both the first and second rotating die. Hence,the above described arrangement with a first rotating die 3 and a second opposingrotating die 33 can be assembled without the third rotating die 34.

Fig. 11 schematically shows a back view and outlet of an assembly of rotary diesincluding four rotary dies, and wherein and ﬁg. 12 schematically shows a perspectiveview of an assembly according to figure 19. Figures 11 and 12 show that the channelportion 13 (shown in figures 1, 5 and 6) comprises a fourth rotating die 35 arrangedopposite the third rotating die 34. The fourth rotating die 34 can as an alternative bearranged together with only the first rotating die 3 or together with both the first andsecond rotatiiig die 3, 33.

The third aiid/or the fourth rotating die(s) 34, 35 can be arranged in a similar way as theabove described first rotating die 3 to create same or different patterns on two sides ofthe proﬁle product. The third and/or fourth rotating dies 34, 35 can comprise annularrecesses and/or ﬂange portions that can be arranged to cooperate with annular recesses29 and/or ﬂange portions 18, 19 of the first rotating die 3.

According to one example, two or more rotating dies are synchronised. This has theadvantage of feeding the material at the same speed. However, it could be possible toalso use non-synchronous rotating dies in order to create friction and/or a special pattemaiid/or to compensate for material differences.

The device can be arranged with a combination of textured and non-textured rotatingdies 3; 33; 34; 35.

Figs 13-19 schematically show a co-extrusion device la and/or an on-extrusion devicela comprising an extrusion and/or pultrusion device 1 according to any one of theexamples discussed above, wherein the device la comprises at least two inlet channels45, 46, 47 that connects directly or indirectly to the second channel section 10, whereineach of the at least two inlet channels 45, 46, 47 is configured to feed one or morematerials at a predetennined distance upstream from the second channel section 10 or toa marriage point for the at least two inlet channels 45, 46, 47 in connection to where thefirst channel section 9 transitions into the second channel section 10.

Here, co-extrusion refers to where at least two material streams are together processedand formed into the master profile and then into the ﬁnal profile or where the at leasttwo material streams are together processed and formed into the final proﬁle. Here, on-extrusion refers to where the at least two material streams are positioned in a layeredfashion either by being together processed and formed into the master profile and theninto the final proﬁle or by bringing together the at least two material streams into themaster proﬁle at the marriage point and thereafter together processing and forming thejoint at least two material streams into the final profile in the second channel section 10.

Fig. 13 schematically shows a cross-section side view of a device 1, la according to theinvention. Figure 13 shows that the proﬁle deﬁnition zone 7 comprises a first inletchannel 45 in the form of the first channel section 9 and a second inlet channel 46 in theform of a third channel section 46 connected to the profile deﬁnition zone 7 upstreamthe second channel section 10 for feeding an additional material to the second channelsection 10 for forrning a layered profile product 2 with material from the first channelsection 9.

According to one example, the third channel section 46 is an extrusion- or pultrusionchannel similar to the ﬁrst channel section 9 arranged to work the material. Accordingto one example, the third channel section 46 is a third channel section that 46 isconﬁgured as a conveyer unit for conveying a material to the profile definition zone 7.

Fig. 14 schematically shows a perspective view of a device according to invention andfig. 15 schematically shows a cross-section side view of a device according to theinvention. Figures 13-15 show in different ways that the device 1, la comprises onerotating device 3 as described above and two material streams that are brought togethervia the first and third channel sections 9, 46.

Figure 16 schematically shows a cross-section side view of a device according to theinvention where the device comprises two opposing rotating dies 3, 33. Figure 16further shows that the device la comprises a first inlet channel 45 in the form of the firstchannel section and a second inlet channel 46 in the form of a third channel section 46connected to the profile deﬁnition zone 7 upstream the second channel section 10 forfeeding an additional material to the second channel section 10 for forrning a layeredprofile product 2 with material from the first channel section 9. Figure 16 further showsthat the device comprises a third inlet channel 47 in the form of a fourth channel section47 for feeding a third material to the profile definition zone 7.

According to one example, the fourth channel section 47 is an extrusion- or pultrusionchannel similar to the ﬁrst channel section 9 arranged to work the material. Accordingto one example, the fourth channel section 47 is a fourth channel section that is conﬁgured as a conveyer unit for conveying a material to the profile definition zone 7.

Fig. 17 schematically shows a cross-section side view of a device 1 according to theinvention comprising one rotating die 3 and a ﬁrst, third and fourth channel sections 9,45, 46 for feeding three different materials to the profile deﬁnition zone 7 according towhat is discussed in connection to figure 16.

It should be noted that in figures 13-17, the first inlet channel 45 may be the ﬁrstchannel section 9 or an inlet channel 45 that transports material to the first channelsection 9.

Figure 17 shows an example where the ﬁrst inlet channel 45 conveys a solid material50, e.g. a wire or a the like, to the ﬁrst channel section 9 and where the second and thirdinlet channels 46, 47 introduces one or more materials to be extruded or pultruded in the first channel section 9 and the second channel section 10. The one or more materialsmay be layered onto the solid material or may surround the solid material.

Figure 18 schematically shows an example where the first inlet channel 45 conveys aContinuous solid material in the form of a wire or the like, and a material to be extrudedor pultruded in the first and second channel sections 9, 10. In figure 18, the first inletChannel 45 and the second inlet channel 46 are arranged such that the material from thesecond inlet channel 46 surrounds the solid material 50 and embeds the solid material50. In figure 18, the second inlet channel 46 comprises a pressurized Chamber 51upstream the first channel section 9 for forming the material around the solid material50. The pressurized Chamber 51 comprises a back wall 52 delimiting the pressurizedchamber. The second inlet channel 46 comprises a feeding channel 53 to the pressurizedchamber 51 for feeding the material to the chamber 51. The back wall 52 comprises thefirst inlet channel 45 that conveys the solid material 50 and acts as a stop for thematerial in the chamber to leak through the first inlet channel 45. Here, pressurizedmeans that the material in the second inlet channel 46 is subject to pressure by thematerial being forced into the second inlet channel 46 and deformed in a similar way asdescribed above with relation to the first channel section 9. In figure 18, the first andsecond channel sections 9, 10 defonns the material in a similar manner as describedabove. Plastic deformation may take place also in the pressurized chamber, but is notlimited to such deformation. Hence, the material in the pressurized chamber may beformed to surround the solid material without being deformed. All materials made froma viscoelastic material and/or plastically deformable material with elastic property and/ or viscoplastic material with elastic property Can be deformed in this example.

With reference to figures 13-18, the different materials are brought together before thesecond channel section 10 and is then worked in the second channel section as describedabove. The invention is not limited to three inlet Channels 45, 46, 47 or three Channelsections 9, 46, 47, but further inlet Channels and channel sections are possible in orderto manufacture a profile product with same or different materials in different layers.

According to any one of the preceding examples, the material that is fed into the deviceto form the profile product is either one homogenous material or a mixture of two ormore materials that are blended and or layered. The materials can be blended indifferent ratios and may be blended into a homogeneous mix or a mix with gradientswithin the material. One material can be a solid and another material can be mouldable,e.g. stone bits and rubber. The material Can also be a layered material comprising two ormore layers of same or different materials. The material may comprise one or morestrings of solid material that follow through the entire extrusion or pultrusion process,e.g. a wire or another reinforcement material being surrounded by the deformablematerial.

Here, solid material refers to a material that does not undergo any deformation in theprofile definition zone. A non-exhaustive list of examples of solid materials are;bendable wire, stiff rod-like element, mesh of metal and/or fabric and/ or Compositeand/or other suitable materials, a combination of such solid materials, etc.

According to one example, the maximum allowable pressure applied by the rotating die3 at the position of the minimum distance D2 is dependent on friction between thematerial and the counter bearing 14 in the second channel section 10.

According to one example, the device 1 is conﬁgured to feed a friction material 48between the counter-bearing 14 and the final profile 37 and/or configured to feed afriction material 48 between the rotating die 3 and the final proﬁle 37.

According to one example, the friction material 48 is conveyed by the first and/or thesecond and/or the third inlet channels 45, 46, 47 at least during start-up of the device inorder to control friction in connection to the rotating die 3 and/or the counter bearing14. According to one example, the friction material 18 is conveyed by the first and/orthe second and/or the third inlet channels 45, 46, 47during a part of or the entiremanufacturing process in order to control friction in connection to the rotating die 3and/or the counter bearing 14.

According to one example, the friction material 48 is fed directly to the rotating die 3such that the friction material rotates with the rotating die from a position before thesecond channel section 10 to the second channels section. Figure 2A schematicallyshows that the device 1 comprises an external friction material 48 feeding device 49feeding the friction material 48 to the rotating die 3. As stated above, the frictionmaterial 18 feeding device 49 can be either of the ﬁrst, second or third inlet channels 45,46, 47 (not shown). Furthermore, the friction material 48 may be a solid material, aliquid or a gas, or a combination thereof The invention is not limited to the above examples but may be varied within the scopeof the appending claims. For example, the maximum pressure and thus the minimumdistance D2 in the second channel section 10 is dependent on the total feeding rate ofmaterial in the ﬁrst channel section 9, type of material, and temperature of the materialwhen entering the second channel section 10.

Figure 19 schematically shows a ﬂow chart of a method for producing a profile productby use of a device according to what has been described in connection to figures 1-26,wherein the method comprises the step shown in Box 101 -feeding a material to the ﬁrst channel section 9 and forming the same into a masterprofile 36 in the ﬁrst channel section 9, and the step shown in Box 102 - feeding the material and thus master profile 36 further to the second channel section10 and forining the same in the second channel section 10, And the step in Box 103 -transforming the final profile 37 into the profile product 2.

According to one example, the method further comprises the step in box 104, -stretching the final profile 37 and/or the profile product 2 for achieving the samedistance in the pattern along the production direction, i.e. to achieve equal distance between elevations and/ or indentations in the pattern 40 along the production direction.

According to one example, the distance between indentations in the pattern on therotating die is less than a distance between indentations in the corresponding pattern inthe production direction on the profile product, wherein the pulling and stretchingdevice is conﬁgured to stretch the ﬁnal profile and/or the proﬁle product so that highprecision in distance between features on proﬁle can be achieved by adjustrnentstretching.

Claims

1. 1. An extrusion- or pultrusion device (1) for forming a proﬁle product (2) made from aviscoelastic material and/or plastically deforrnable material with elastic property and/orviscoplastic material with elastic property in a production direction (Y), said devicecomprising: -a rotating die (3), extending in a radial (R) direction and a width direction (X), havingtwo opposite ﬁrst and second side walls (5, 6) and an outer circumferential surface (4)extending in the width direction (X) there between, wherein the rotating die (3)comprises a ﬁrst side portion (23) in connection to the first side wall (5) and a secondside portion (25) in connection to the second side wall (6) and a mid-portion (22)extending between the ﬁrst and second side portions (23, 25), and -a profile definition zone (7) having a longitudinal direction (Y) coinciding with theproduction direction (Y), a height direction (Z) and a width direction (X) beingperpendicular to the height direction (Z), comprising a through channel (8) comprising afirst channel section (9) followed by a second channel section (10) downstream the firstchannel section (9) with reference to the production direction, wherein the rotating die (3) is rotatable about an axis extending across the productiondirection (Y) and arranged to allow the outer circumferential surface (4) to, while therotating die (3) rotates, exert a pressure onto a surface of the material when fed throughthe proﬁle definition zone (7), wherein; -the first channel section (9) is circumferentially delimited by one or more walls (1 1)and wherein -the second channel section (10) is circumferentially delimited by -the circumferential surface (4) of the rotating die (3) and -a channel portion (13) comprising -a counter-bearing (14) opposite the rotating die (3) and -opposing first and second channel portion side walls (15, 16) between therotating die (3) and the counter-bearing (14) characterized in that wherein the first channel section (9) is configured to deforin the material into a masterproﬁle (36) having a maximum height (H1) at a predetermined feeding rate dependenton material and minimum cross-sectional area with a first maximum height (D 1) in thefirst channel section (9) when exiting the ﬁrst channel section, wherein the ﬁrst channel section (9) comprises a wake element (58) having apredetermined height (D5) dependent on the elastic property of the material, wherein the wake element (58) is positioned in at least the height direction and wherein the second channel section (10) is conﬁgured to further deform the materialinto a final proﬁle (37) having a minimum height (H2) by the rotating die (3) beingconfigured to apply increasing pressure on the master proﬁle (36) against the counter-bearing (14) when the master profile (3 6) exits the ﬁrst channel section (9), wherein the rotating die (3) is configured at a minimum distance (D2) between therotating die (3) and the counter-bearing (14) dependent on a maximum allowablepressure applied by the rotating die (3) at the position of that minimum distance (D2),wherein the maximum allowable pressure corresponds to the maximum difference inheight of the master profile (3 6) and the final profile (3 7) and dependent on pattern (3 8)in the circumferential surface (4) of the rotating die (3) and dependent on the elasticproperty of the material and thus difference between the height (H3) of the ﬁnal profileand the proﬁle product (2) due to the elasticity of the material.

2. A device (1) according to claim 1, wherein the wake element (58) is arranged wherethe first channel section (9) transitions into the second channel section (10), wherein thewake element comprises an upper edge (59) with a lowest part, in the height direction(Z), wherein the upper edge (59) delimits an upper portion, in the height direction (Z),of the wake element (5 8) in the first channel section (9) at the predetermined fromwhere the first channel section (9) transitions into the second channel section (10).

3. A device (1) according to claim 1, wherein the wake element (5 8) is arranged at apredetermined distance upstream in the production direction (PD) from where the firstchannel section (9) transitions into the second channel section (10), wherein the firstchannel section comprises an upper edge (59) with a lowest part, in the height direction(Z), wherein the upper edge (59) delimits an upper portion, in the height direction (Z),of the wall (11) in the first channel section (9) where the first channel section (9)transitions into the second channel section (10).

4. A device (1) according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the master profile height (H1) whenexiting the first channel section (9) is less than or equal to a max master profile height(H11) in the second channel section (10) before reaching the rotating die (3) due toelasticity.

5. A device (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the first channelsection (9) comprises at least two side walls (11) in the form of a top pre-bearing (41)and an opposing bottom pre-bearing (42), wherein the top pre-bearing (41) is arrangedover the opposing bottom pre-bearing (42) in the height direction (Z), wherein the toppre-bearing (41) and/or the bottom pre-bearing (42) comprises the wake element (58).

6. A device (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the one or morewalls (11) define a first cross-section (12) at the end of the first channel section (9) andwherein the second channel section (10) deﬁnes a second cross-section (17) at aposition where the distance between the circumferential surface (4) and the counter-bearing (14) is at a minimum, and wherein the geometry of the first channel section (9)is different from the second channel section (10) such that the material passing throughthe first channel section (9) changes form when entering the second channel section(10), wherein the master profile (3 6) has a first cross-section area geometry (Al)corresponding to the first cross-section (12) and wherein the final proﬁle (37) has asecond cross-section area geometry (A2) deﬁned by the second cross-section, wherein the first cross-section area geometry (A1) is different from the second cross-section areageometry (A2) in any given comparable position, wherein the maximum pressure andthus the minimum distance (D2) in the second channel section (10) is dependent on adifference of cross-section area geometry (A1) of the master profile (36) and the cross-section area geometry (A2) of the final profile (3 7) and the elastic property of thematerial.

7. A device (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the rotating die(3) comprises a pattern (3 8) comprising at least one indentation (38), wherein therotating die (3) is configured at a maximum distance (D22) between a bottom (44) ofthe indentation (38) and the counter-bearing (14) dependent on a minimum allowablepressure applied by the rotating die at the position of that maximum distance (D22) forachieving plastic deformation of the material in the indentation (3 8).

8. A device (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the maximumpressure and thus the minimum distance (D2) in the second channel section (10) isdependent on the total feeding rate of material in the first channel section (9), type ofmaterial, and temperature of the material when entering the second channel section (10).

9. A device (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the maximumallowable pressure applied by the rotating die (3) at the position of the minimumdistance is dependent on friction between the material and the counter bearing (14) inthe second channel section (10).

10. A device (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the cross-sectionarea (A1) of the second channel section (10) is configured to be sized with regard to ashrinking effect of the final profile (37) cooling down to the profile product (2) having afinal height (H3) and the elastic property of the material.

11. A device (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the pattern (3 8)in the rotating die (3) is configured to be sized with regard to a shrinking effect of thefinal profile (37) cooling down to the profile product (2) and the elastic property of thematerial.

12. A device (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the rotating die(3) is configured with a pattern (3 8) with at least one indentation (3 8), wherein eachindentation (3 8) comprises a release angle (a2) dependent on the radius of the rotatingdie (3), the intended pattern in the final proﬁle, the conﬁguration of the counter bearingand travelling speed of the final profile (37).

13. A device (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the device (1) isconfigured to feed a friction material (48) between the counter-bearing (14) and thefinal profile (3 7) and/ or conﬁgured to feed a friction material (48) between the rotatingdie (3) and the final profile (37).

14. A device (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the device (1)comprises a pulling and stretching device (54) airanged downstream the second channelsection (10) and configured to pull the material exiting the second channel section (10)for transforrning the ﬁnal profile (3 7) to the proﬁle product (2).

15. A device (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the devicecomprises a pulling and stretching device (54), and wherein a distance betweenindentations (3 8) in the pattern (3 8) on the rotating die (3) is less than a distancebetween elevations (40) in the corresponding pattern (3 8) in the production direction(Y) on the profile product (2), wherein the pulling and stretching device (54) isconfigured to stretch the final profile (3 7) and/or the profile product (2) so that highprecision in distance between features on profile can be achieved by adjustmentstretching.

16. A device (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the rotating die(3) comprises a cooling device configured to cool down the external surface of therotating die (3) so that the temperature of the rotating die (3) surface is below apredeterrnined allowed temperature of the extruded material.

17. A device (1) according to claim 16, wherein the rotating die (3) is cooled on thesurface so that the temperature of the rotating die surface is at least 10 degrees Celsiusbelow a glass transition temperature or melting temperature of the material.

18. A device (1) according to claim 16 or 17, wherein the rotating die (3) is cooled onthe surface so that the temperature of the rotating die surface is at least 50 degreesCelsius below a glass transition temperature or melting temperature of the material,enabling higher speed of extruding.

19. A device (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the material thatis fed into the device to form the profile product (2) is either one homogenous materialor a mixture of two or more materials that are blended and or layered.

20. A co-extrusion device (la) and/or an on-extrusion device (la) comprising a device(1) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the device (1) comprises atleast two inlet channels (45, 46, 47) that connects directly or indirectly to the secondchannel section (10), wherein each of the at least two inlet channels (45, 46, 47) isconfigured to feed one or more materials at a predetermined distance upstream from thesecond channel section (10) or to a marriage point for the at least two inlet channels (45,46, 47) in connection to where the first channel section (9) transitions into the secondchannel section (10).

21. A method for producing a profile product (2) by use of a device (1, la) according toany one of the preceding claims, wherein the method comprises -feeding a material to the first channel section (9) and forming the same into a masterprofile (36) in the first channel section (9), - feeding the material further to the second channel section (10) and forming the sameinto a final proﬁle (37) in the second channel section (10),-transfonning the ﬁnal proﬁle into the proﬁle product (2).

22. A method according to claim 21, Wherein the ﬁnal proﬁle (2) and/or the proﬁleproduct (2) is stretched for achieving the same distance in the pattem along theproduction direction (Y).